Indigenous leaders in North Queensland say their traditional languages are all but lost to history, as NAIDOC Week events celebrate the theme 'Our Languages Matter'.

Chairperson of the Proserpine Indigenous Reference Group (PIRG) Fiona Maza said she learned some words and phrases from her mother, but many younger people were not exposed to local languages.

"There's been a big loss in our community with language, whether you're Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, nobody sort of knows their language unless it comes from their elders," she said.

"If you go up north where they … have a lot more of their tribal traditions, they have their language, but I find more coastal, we've lost our language, we really have, unless there's a bit of jargon that the kids know.

"We don't really have our spoken language anymore, it is lost to our community, but as I've always said to teens, adults, anyone, as long as you identify and know who you are, you'll find some history there."

Providing a sense of belonging

Youth Indigenous leader Keisha McEwan said it was "so important" for Indigenous youth to learn about their culture and languages.

"Culture wasn't taught in my home so I had to learn about it through the community and through Aunty Fi," she said.

"That was just something that made me feel like I belonged somewhere and gave me a sense of worthiness and I really wanted to pursue with that.

"It's not just about raising awareness for culture but providing a sense of belonging for the youth of our community.

"For me, I came from a broken home, so to be involved in a community and a group like this, it's just it's another family, and it's a family that you can feel safe in, and you can be who you are."

Footy game between kids and police

A full week of NAIDOC events will take place in Proserpine, including the fourth annual football game between Indigenous youth and local police.

Treasurer of PIRG Kalila Parter said it was important to foster a connection between the "kids and cops".

"It was just something we thought to have the police on board because there was a lot of pointing at the Indigenous mob for doing crime so to have that connection with the police they sort of know it may not have been the Indigenous mob," she said.

"They have a really good connection now.

"This is probably our fourth year that we've done the kids versus police game and I think last year they did other services, the ambulances and the firies, just to have that team and make that connection with them."